AGENDA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION - real facts omsd

Public Comments: Rules Governing Educator Licensure – July - September 2012 (Second Public Comment Period)
September 6, 2012
Raymella Petty, AAIM
September 6, 2012
Dena Meriweather,
Bigelow High School
education we can continue to guide and inspire students to use library resources and become 21st Century
learners. I believe that most Arkansas schools designate Teacher/Librarian on school contracts. How can
schools continue to focus on Common core standards that require collaborative teaching without
experience in education? It's not just technology skills, research and/or knowledge of books that make a
Library Media Specialist and a Library program a success! It's the fundamental experience of knowing
something about students and having the teaching experience to help them so that they want to use the
school library. Please do not change the requirements for the Library Media Specialist certification.
As a certified teacher and library media specialist, I feel strongly that it would be a huge mistake to change
the requirements for library media specialists. It is so important to have a working knowledge of the
classroom and what it takes to inspire students today. We are charged with the task of moving our students
forward with 21st century technology, thus it becomes even more critical for the experience and
knowledge to lead. I have worked hard to achieve my degrees in education and am proud to say that I am
an educator. We do not need to go backwards in education but rather go forward and establish the strong
standards that have caused our state to make great gains in student lives and test scores.
Common core requirements do not call for a person not qualified to lead and teach. Taking away the
current requirements would be telling certified library media specialists that they do not have a job that
matters. We are a crucial part of every school in the state of Arkansas. Students know that we are here to
give them the direction and guidance for research and technology that they need. They come to us with
assurance that we will successfully prepare them with the skills they need to become a lifelong
learner. We need to continue to set the bar for other states and require the classroom experience before
acceptance into this degree program. It will only add to the excellency that our schools exhibit. Teaching
is not a profession to take lightly and there is not one position that should be made to feel less important
by lowering standards and requirements. This is what makes us better and I ask you to consider the
students who need strong and experienced leaders in education to guide them. We need our licensure
requirements left so we will continue to take our students into the 21st century with experienced
educators.
As Library Media Specialisst, we would like for students to be 21st Century Skills literate.
Common core standards require collaborative teaching between the teachers and the SLMS for the
technology skills and research required not to mention the reading. The key words in the previous
statement are teaching and teacher.
The best interest of our students are served by keeping the present requirements for licensure as is.
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